But hydrogen is far from the only alternative to oil that Shell has invested in.

Electric-car charging stations will be installed at certain Shell fuel station in the U.K. and The Netherlands starting later this year, the company said earlier this month.

While the oil giant does not believe fuel-cell or battery-electric cars will overtake internal combustion in the near future, its interest in the infrastructure that supports these vehicles is an acknowledgement of their potential to decrease oil demand.